Glass manufacture



B. G. BEALOB.

y GLASS MANUFACTURE; APPLICATION rLED lune 7,1917.

,11,331,796, Patented-Feb.24,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l'.

B. G. BEALR.

GLASS MANUFACTURE.

APPucATloN FILED JUNEI. 1917.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(g1/Wenko@ /d afkomen,

B. G. BEALOR'I` GLASS MANUFACTURE. APPLICATION FILED IuNEI, Isn.

1,331,796. l Patented Feb. 24,1920.

3 SHEETS-*SWEET 3.

I I I- I I- I n @gg A rvof vapplying my device, the extension or' BUDDG. BEALOR, 0F ASPINWALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

GLASS MANUFACTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application tiled June 7, 1917. Serial No. 173,273.

y To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Buon G..BEAL0R, a citizen of the United States,residing at Aspm- Wall, in the State of Pennsylvan1a,'have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Glass Manufacture, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the art of manufacturingwindow glass, and more particularly to continuously drawing glass insheet formation.

Oneof the difficulties experienced in drawing sheet glass has been thedifiiculty of maintaining the initial width of the sheet during thedrawing operation, due to the diiiiculty of edectively controlling thecon-- sistency of the glass, and the proper cooling thereof during theact of severing the sheet ed es from the mass of molten glass.

Ly the use of my improved apparatus these difiiculties are effectivelyvovercome, and I am able to draw glass of a pre-determined width andthickness in continuous lengths.

.. My invention construction, arrangement of the parts as will appearfrom the following description, in which reference willbe had to theaccompanying drawings, which show a form of apparatus embodying my saidinvention, wherein:

Figure 1, represents in central vertical section a portion of one formof glass tank embodying my present invention showing in connectiontherewith in elevation an aparatus in the act of drawing a sheet ofglass rom said tank.

Fig. 2, is aplan view of the drawing well of the tank showing thevarious accessories thereto. I

Fig. 3, is an enlarged perspective view of one of the sheet edge formingblocks.

Fig. 4, is a plan View with portions broken away of a glass tank showinga drawing well placed in one of the extensions thereof.

Fig. 5, represents in vertical section another modiication of thedrawing well.

further consists in the novel Fig. 6, represents inplanview the modi-4cation shown in Fig. 5.

be adapted to any o the common forms of glass tanks now in use, and forthe purpose drawing chamber 1, is constructed by building out frointhemain tank, side and end walls comprising what 1s commonly known andmanipulationv in the art as a dog-house. Located within the extension 1,1s a drawing Well 2, constructed by building upwardly from the bottom ofthe tank 3, plers 4 to a point approximately the height of the level ofthe glass line 5. At this point the piers are connected byoho'rizontallydisposed sills. At a point a ve the glass line 5, extending upwardlyfrom the sills are the movable shades 6, which are adapted for verticalmovement by suitable elevating means attached (to the cables 7. Theseshades screen oif the heat from the tank and may be elevated when it isdesired to raise the temperature within the drawing Well. Locatedintermediate of the piers 4, are piers 4. Extending from the piers 4 tothe piers 4, are sills 8. Located on each of the piers 4 isa speciallydesigned block 9 of refractory material having on its inner face theprojecting tongue 10, and the groove 11. Located between the blocks 9 isthe end' sill 12,.provided with a tongue 13,

adapted to register with and reside in the groove 11. Located inside ofthe end sills 12, and parallel thereto are a pair of vertically movableblocks 14, provided with grooves 15, adapted to register with thetongues 10, of the blocks 9. Located between the piers 4 and adapted tonormally float in the molten glass, is the floater 16. Located betweenthe piers 4 and 4, are similar loaters 1"7=. Located 'between the piers4 and 4', and nor mally residing inside the sills 8 are the floaters 18.These floaters provide for maintaining the surface of the glass inclosedtherein free from surface impurities commonly present in glass tanks.

The floaters 18 are adapted to normally reside in the position shown inFig. 2. Should however, the surface of the glass in the drawing wellintermediate of the blocks 14, require skimming or through accident orotherwise a portion of the congealed sheet fall back into the drawingwell, the ioaters 18, may be moved across the sheet drawing Zone bysuitable manipulating means, thereby removing partially congealed glassor sheet residue from the drawing zone.

As shown in Fig. 3, the blocks 14, are provided with a conduit 19, coredtherein, to which are connected suitable pipes 20, for the purposes ofconveying a cooling fluid therethrough. By reference to Fig. 1, it willbe observed that the block 14, normally 'rests with a portion thereofbelow the glass line level 5. The inner face of that portion of y theblock so disposed within the molten glass is'skew faced or beveled. Thisblock and its eculiar formation forms an important eature of thisinvention as willbe more fully disclosed as the description promay beconveyed to the rollers 23, in any suitable manner, and for the purposeof having the rollers in each column move in the same direction, I mounteach roller on extended shafts in suitable bearings and place on eachshaft extension, a suitable sprocket wheel 24, which are suitablyconnected to each other by the sprocket chain 25.

The sheet edge forming blocks 14, are placed in pairs in the drawingwell, and are adapted to be raised and lowered independently as may berequired. The immersion in the` glass of `a greater or lesser p01'- tionof the block 14.-, as well as the cooling fluid passing through theconduit 19, will vary the temperature of the molten glass from which thesheet edges are drawn, and the reduction in temperature may beintensified by increasing the flow of the cooling fluid passing throughthe conduit 19. By so reducing and thereby controlling the temperature,the consistency of the molten glass can be likewise controlled.

vIt has been characteristic in the results of the attempts heretoforemade to draw sheet glass from the main body of molten glass, that. thesheet had a tendency to narrow as the drawing operation roceeded. Thiseffect yoccurs to the molten dy at a.

.point of greatest plasticity. By the use of my improved sheet edgeforming block, I am able to impart to the glass at this oint a reductionin plasticity effective on in that portion of the batch of glass romwhich the edges of the sheet are drawn. By the use of separate coolingmediums for each sheet edge producing portion ofthe glass, that portionof .the molten glass intermediate of the ed producing portions remainsat substantial y the lsame temperature as the surrounding glass in thetank. By these means, I accomplish results heretofore uno'btained wherethe Tsheet producing surface area. of the molten glass' was entirelysurrounded by a cooling medium or forming receptacle. I further rovidefor drawing a sheet of glass from tlie surface of molten glass containedwithin a segregated area,

In Figs'. 5 and 6, are shown modifications of the forming `blocks,whereinfthe forming block is placed in a stationary position on the tankwall.

To start the initial drawing, a bait of the form well known in the art,is lowered by suitable means between the roller columns, and into thedrawing well until it comes in contact with the molten glass therein.'After immersion in the glass a suitable length of time, i't iswithdrawn to a point Where the sheet of glass 26, depending therefrom,is passed upwardly between the roller columns, and receives elevatingmovement from the rollers 23, when the bait is severed by means wellknown in the art, and the movement of the rollers 23, will continue todraw a sheet of glass of indefinite lengthv from the molten glass withinthe drawing well. The movement conveyed to the rollers 23 is of such adegree of speed that the lass forming the sheet 26 will have become llycongealed at the point where it comes in contact with the elevatingmeans. The lesser degree of speed of the drawing, and the appllcation ofthe cooli means of a greater degree to the glass, wi l increase thethickness of the sheet being drawn.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in therelative arrangement of the parts shown and describedwithout departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention hence I would have'itunderstood that I do not wish to confine myself to the exactconstruction and arrangement of parts shown and described, 'but Havingfully described my inventionwhat I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters-Patent, isz- 1. In a glass drawing apparatus, a tank forcontaining molten glass, a pluralit of refractory piers extendingupwardly rom the bottom of said tank, horizontally disposed `sillsresting on said piers above the level of said glass, a plurality ofrefractory shields located intermediate of said piers and normallyfloating in the glass positioned with their upper faces in a plane abovethe lower surface of said sills, a pair of vertically adjustablerefractory blocks spaced apart and partially immersed in the molten,glass in said tank intermediate of two of said piers, and means fordrawing a` sheet of glass from the molten glass intermediate of saidblocks.

2. In a glass drawing apparatus, a tank for containing molten glass, apluralit of refractory piers extending upwardly fiom the bottom of saidtank, horizontally disposed sills resting on said piers above the levelof said glass, a plurality of refractory shields located intermediate ofsaid piers and normally floating in the glass positioned with theirupper faces in a plane above the lower surface ofsaid sills, a air ofvertically adjustable refractory b ocks spaced apart in'said tankintermediate of two of said piers having their opposite faces inclinedoutwardly from a vertical line at the point of immersion in said moltenglass, and means for drawing a sheet of glass from the molten glassintermediate of said blocks.

3. In a glass drawing apparatus, a tank for containing molten glass, aplurality of refractory piers extending upwardl from the bottom of saidtank, horizontally disposed sills resting on Said piers above the levelof the glass, a plurality of refractory shields located intermediate ofsaid piers and normally floating in the glass positioned with theirupper faces in a plane above the lower surface of said sills, a air ofvertically adjustable refractory b ocks spaced apart and partiallyimmersed in the molten glass. in said tank intermediate of two of saidpiers having their opposite faces inclined outwardly from a verticalline at the point of immersion in said glass, means for controlling thetemperature of the inclined faces of said refractory blocks, and meansfor drawing a sheet of glass from the molten mass intermediate of saidblocks.

4. In a glass drawing apparatus, a tank for containing molten glass, apluralit of refractory piers extending upwardl7 rom the bottom of saidtank, horizonta ly disposed sills resting on said piers above the levelof said glass, a plurality of refractory shields located intermediate ofsaid piers and normally floating in the glass positioned with theirupper faces in a plane above the lower surface of said sills, a pair ofvertically adjustable refractory blocks spaced apart in said tankintermediate of two of said piers having their opposite faces inclinedoutwardly from the vertical line at the point of immersion in saidmolten. glass, fluid cooled conduits located in said blocks extendingdownwardly to a point below the glass line level and in parallelrelation to the inclined faces of said blocks and means for drawing asheet 0f glass from the molten glass intermediate of said blocks.

5'. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank forcontainin molten glass, a glass drawing well forme of refractory shieldslocated within said tank, a pair of vertically movable refractory blocksspacedcapart in said well, provided with fluidv conduits cored thereinwhose opposite` faces are progressively distanced at the glass lineasthe blocks are increasingly immersed in the molten glass, and meansfor drawing a sheet of glass from the molten mass intermediate of saidblocks in a plane at right angles to said faces.

6. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a tank forcontaining molten glass, a plurality of refractory piers surrounded bysaid glass, a plurality of refractory sills connecting said piersforming a rectangular inclosure, vertically movable shades adapted tonormally rest on said sills, vertically movable refractory blocks spacedapart within the rectangular inclosure partially immersed in the moltenglass, means for reducing at the point of contact with said blocks, andmeans for drawing a sheet of glass from the molten glass intermediate ofsaid blocks by forming the sheet ed es of the molten glass in contactwith said b ocks.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

BUDD G. BEALOR.

Witnesses H. N. Com'r, A. A. Gno'rzLAcH.

the temperature of the glass

